I feel it's been so overexposed in the trailers and commercials that it'll lose impact in the actual movie. It was an awesome line the first time I heard it, but now it's already become a familiar meme and the movie isn't even out yet. Syfy just did (or is about to do?) a cross-promotional marathon of disaster movies called "Cancel the Apocalypse."

Just had a thought. All the pre-release material makes a big deal of how it takes 2 people to pilot the mechs. Anyone think in the final battle someone will transcend that limitation and proceed to kick ass? Or will it be a case of finally getting they're teamwork in sync and kicking ass?

Just had a thought. All the pre-release material makes a big deal of how it takes 2 people to pilot the mechs. Anyone think in the final battle someone will transcend that limitation and proceed to kick ass? Or will it be a case of finally getting they're teamwork in sync and kicking ass?

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More likely the latter. The screenwriter has said in interviews that the mental link between the two pilots is the heart of the story, the idea that made it worth telling in the first place. It's not just a story about robots fighting monsters; at its core it's a story about the Jaeger pilots and the bond they develop. So I really doubt they'd throw that out the window in the climax. Indeed, it looks to me like it's going to be the kind of story where the two leads are polar opposites and need to overcome their differences in order to become a successful team.

^All stories are built around a few recurring patterns, but that doesn't mean they can't build something very original around those frameworks. What's fascinating here is that the copilots are mentally linked -- they have total access to all of each other's thoughts and memories, they have their darkest secrets and most embarrassing private thoughts exposed to each other. I think that could be the basis for a fascinating and very psychologically driven story, if it's done well.

In any case, the point is that I really, really don't think the arc of this movie will build toward a climax where just one character casts off his or her partner and does everything alone.

It's actually a bit odd this came out at the same time as Eva 3.33. Pacific Rim's drawing on a lot of mecha-vs.-kaiju material, but Evangelion is definitely one of the ones that seems most reminiscent of PR, especially the early episodes. However, Eva's always been clearly about the idea of one pilot synchronizing (well, one pilot synchronizing with the soul of his dead mother), except that this year's Evangelion 3.33 animated film featured an Eva piloted by both Shinji AND Kaworu, synced together. A coincidence to be sure, but an interesting one...

Just had a thought. All the pre-release material makes a big deal of how it takes 2 people to pilot the mechs. Anyone think in the final battle someone will transcend that limitation and proceed to kick ass? Or will it be a case of finally getting they're teamwork in sync and kicking ass?

Click to expand...

More likely the latter. The screenwriter has said in interviews that the mental link between the two pilots is the heart of the story, the idea that made it worth telling in the first place. It's not just a story about robots fighting monsters; at its core it's a story about the Jaeger pilots and the bond they develop. So I really doubt they'd throw that out the window in the climax. Indeed, it looks to me like it's going to be the kind of story where the two leads are polar opposites and need to overcome their differences in order to become a successful team.

Click to expand...

I suspect you're right that the story will go the "overcome their differences" route. When done right though, the "transcending limitations to become The One" can be a powerful scene. Matrix being the best example in my opinion. Then again, that might also read as a little played out as well.

There's a comic that setups some of the backstory. They need two pilots because a single person cannot handle the mechs. They work sort of like those robotic arms that are connected to brains that are being tested now. There is some feedback to the brain and the first test killed the pilot. When two pilots are connected to the mech, they are also connected and can experience each others thoughts and memories to some degree. Because of that, pilots are usually friends or related. Since you would already know that person to some degree, the experience isn't a complete shock.